Heroin addict swapped horse and cart for stolen car

A homeless heroin addict who swapped his pony and trap for a stolen car has been given a three-year sentence by Judge Frank O’Donnell at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Darren Flaherty (aged 27), of no fixed abode, was stopped by gardai driving a black Suzuki car that had been reported stolen from outside the City West Hotel some weeks previously. He pleaded guilty to receiving stolen property on February 22, 2006.

Garda Eddie Carroll told prosecuting counsel, Ms Mary Rose Gearty BL, that Flaherty told gardaí he had met a man at a fair who had offered to swap the car for Flaherty’s pony and trap.

Flaherty said he thought the pony and trap were worth about €9,000 but he guessed the car was worth around €14,000. He said he had taken the car as a present for his girlfriend.

Gda Carroll said Flaherty had 47 previous conviction including several for robbery, dangerous driving and hit and run. He had developed a chronic heroin addiction since his first conviction when 16 but during his current time in custody had now progressed to quite a low dose on a methodone programme.

Judge O’Donnell suspended the final year of sentence on strict conditions including that Chambers continues to participate in a drug treatment programme.